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Introduction: Despite the recommendations of the clinical guidelines, the percentage of central venous catheters (CVC) continues to be above the recommended standards. We do not know whether the increasing use of catheters is due to unavoidable or avoidable factors and, in the latter case, it would be in our power to modify these results. The aim of this study was to analyze the causes that condition the use of CVC in a prevalent hemodialysis (HD) population in order to identify those modifiable factors on which to act in order to achieve the objectives of the guidelines., Methods: Retrospective, descriptive and observational study in all prevalent patients on chronic hemodialysis belonging to 7 hemodialysis centers in Madrid, Castilla-León and Galicia in a cross-sectional study carried out in June 2021 (637 patients). The following were analyzed: age, sex, nationality, etiology of CKD, the vascular access with which they started hemodialysis, the number of previous failed arteriovenous fistulas (AVF), time since the start of HD, time since the placement of the CVC for the first time, the situation with respect to surgery and the causes of being a CVC carrier. In patients whose cause was refusal to undergo AVF, patients were asked about the cause of the refusal by directed questioning., Results: Of the 637 patients studied, 255 (40%) had a CVC, 346 had an AVF (54.3%) and 36 (5.7%) had a prosthesis. Of the 255 patients with CVC, 20.4% (52 p) were awaiting vascular access (AVF/prosthesis), 10.2% (26 p) had an AVF but could not be used and 69.4% (177 p) were not considered candidates for surgery (due to vascular surgery (16.9%; 43 pac), nephrology (16.5%, 42 pac) and patient refusal (36%; 92 pac). The most frequent cause for refusal of AVF was fear and patient preference. One of the most important factors associated with CVC use in prevalent patients was having started hemodialysis with a CVC. The greatest use of CVC at the start of HD was significantly associated with having more than one AVF performed, or starting HD urgently and not having been followed up and evaluated in the ACKD consultation., Conclusions: There is a high percentage of patients with a central venous catheter due to modifiable causes, which makes it necessary to systematically evaluate the process of creating AVF in order to enhance the planning, creation and maintenance of vascular access from the ACKD clinic, and to achieve the objective of the guidelines., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

Aim: The opinion of hemodialysis patients, professionals and family members is rarely considered in the design of a hemodialysis unit., Purpose: To know and compare the opinion and preferences of patients, family members and professionals regarding the design of a dialysis unit and the potential activities they believe should be carried out during the session in order to provide architects with real information for the construction of a dialysis center., Patients and Methods: Anonymous and voluntary survey in electronic format addressed to patients, relatives and professionals belonging to the 18 hemodialysis centers of the renal foundation and to ALCER and its different delegations, in relation to leisure activities to be carried out in the dialysis center and preferred design of the treatment room. The results obtained between the patient-family group and the professionals were compared., Results: We received 331 responses, of which 215 were from patients and family members (65%) and 116 (35%) from professionals. The most represented category among professionals was nursing (53%), followed by assistants (24%) and physicians (12.9%). A higher proportion of patients (66%) preferred rooms in groups of 10-12 patients as opposed to professionals who preferred open-plan rooms (p<0.001). The options that showed the most differences between patients and professionals were chatting with colleagues and intimacy (options most voted by patients/families), versus performing group activities and visibility (professionals)., Conclusion: The professionals' view of patients' needs does not always coincide with the patients' perception. The inclusion of the perspective of people with kidney disease continues to be a pending issue in which we must improve both patient organizations and professionals, and the opinion of professionals and patients must be included in the design of a dialysis unit and the activities to be developed in it., Competing Interests: Mr Juan Carlos Julián Mauro reports that in the last 3 years, his employer has received financial aid from the following companies related to the treatment of people with kidney conditions: Astellas Pharma, AstraZeneca, Baxter, CSL Vifor, Diaverum Services, Fresenius Medical Care, GSK, Hansa Biopharma and Novartis. These aids were in no case intended for this research. The author reports no other conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2023 Arenas Jiménez et al.)

(1) Background: The impact of SARS-CoV-2 has been variable over the time course of the pandemic and in different populations. The aim was to analyze the impact of COVID-19 infection in a known population of hemodialysis (HD) patients and professionals in Spain at different times of the pandemic. (2) Methods: We conducted an observational, descriptive study with a follow-up from 3 March 2020 to 23 April 2022 (776 days), using in average of 414 professionals and 1381 patients from 18 HD units in Spain. The data from the positive PCR or the rapid antigen detection test (RADT) subject were analyzed and segmented into six periods (waves). (3) Results: Of 703 positive COVID-19 tests, 524 were HD patients (74.5%), and 179 were HD professionals (25.5%). Overall, 38% of staff and 43% of patients were affected. Differences were observed in regard to incidence (21% vs. 13%), mortality (3.5% vs. 0%), and symptomatology between the patients and professionals and throughout the pandemic. (4) Conclusions: COVID-19 severity varied during different pandemic waves, with a greater impact seen in the first wave. HD professionals and patients had similar infection rates, but patients had higher mortality rates. Community transmission was the primary route of infection.

Background: The impact of the pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS) in low- and middle-income countries remains poorly understood. Our aim was to understand the characteristics and outcomes of PIMS-TS in Argentina., Methods: This observational, prospective, and retrospective multicenter study enrolled patients younger than 18 years-old manifesting PIMS-TS, Kawasaki disease (KD) or Kawasaki shock syndrome (KSS) between March 2020 and May 2021. Patients were followed-up until hospital discharge or death (one case). The primary outcome was pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify variables predicting PICU admission., Results: Eighty-one percent, 82%, and 14% of the 176 enrolled patients fulfilled the suspect case criteria for PIMS-TS, KD, and KSS, respectively. Temporal association with SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed in 85% of the patients and 38% were admitted to the PICU. The more common clinical manifestations were fever, abdominal pain, rash, and conjunctival injection. Lymphopenia was more common among PICU-admitted patients (87% vs. 51%, p < 0.0001), who also showed a lower platelet count and higher plasmatic levels of inflammatory and cardiac markers. Mitral valve insufficiency, left ventricular wall motion alterations, pericardial effusion, and coronary artery alterations were observed in 30%, 30%, 19.8%, and 18.6% of the patients, respectively. Days to initiation of treatment, rash, lymphopenia, and low platelet count were significant independent contributions to PICU admission., Conclusion: Rates of severe outcomes of PIMS-TS in the present study agreed with those observed in high-income countries. Together with other published studies, this work helps clinicians to better understand this novel clinical entity., (© 2022 Japan Pediatric Society.)